More Research Papers
Below, you will find papers that provide more information on the topic of Micro Development Missions. These are in addition to what you will find on "Why Development Ministry?" and "Micro Enterprise Development and Micro Lending". All papers are in PDF format, with reasonable file sizes. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read them.
Micro Initiatives in Economic Development
Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Private Enterprise Education Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2, 2000
The problem of poverty, particularly in the third world, is complex. Explanations for chronic economic stagnation include unstable and corrupt governments, misguided macroeconomic policies, colonization by more powerful nations, exploitation by other nations or by powerful multinational corporations, harsh climates, wars, natural disasters, and native cultural values that discourage development. The headline solutions typically call for changes in macroeconomic policy, protectionist legislation, treaties, and debt forgiveness, or other aid from first-world countries. Progress in judicial, political and economic systems are certainly needed to provide more stable and equitable conditions for pervasive development to occur.
In the meantime, numerous lives have been changed for the better through economic initiatives undertaken at the micro level. The proliferation and success of these programs in recent years heralds a movement that holds genuine promise for improving lives, family by family and community by community. This paper overviews the background and motivation behind certain major microeconomic initiatives and describes the basic forms these initiatives take. It explains the evolution these programs are undergoing as they adapt to meet the needs of the underdeveloped communities they serve. It will also address certain myths concerning poverty, the poor, and economic theory that have been challenged as a result of these efforts. Full paper - 12 pages.
Economic Initiatives in Christian Missions
Presented at the Christian Scholars Conference at Harding University, July 17, 1999
Historically, Christian mission efforts in less-developed countries, particularly among the churches of Christ, have focused on the works of evangelism, religious education, and medical care. In recent years, however, various programs have been undertaken in both domestic and foreign Christian missions to consciously promote greater financial responsibility and economic self-sufficiency among existing and prospective Christians. Full paper - 8 pages
Family Loyalty as an Impediment to Economic Development
This paper discusses the “paradox of the family.” Meaningful family relationships are important to healthy socialization of its members. However, strong family loyalty is associated with lower levels of trust extended to those outside the family. Low levels of trust tend to undermine the basis for broader associations required for social and economic development in a modern economy. Strong family loyalty adversely affects the development of relationships outside the family, including social and economic relationships, and hinders the development of private institutions, including social, civic, and business associations. The end result is that strong family loyalty is negatively associated with economic progress, and weak family loyalty is positively associated with economic progress. Full paper - 14 pages
Traditional Religion and Prospects for Economic Progress
A Case Study of the Religious Beliefs of the Basoga People of Uganda presented at The Association of Private Enterprise Education International Convention Nassau, The Bahamas, April 4-6, 2004
Culture is well established as a critical factor in explaining differences among nations in their rates of economic development and the means of achieving development. Among cultural influences, religion and family, which are often closely related, dominate. Traditional religions are generally characterized by various features that serve as obstacles to economic development. Such features include:
- a predominant focus on the past,
- a high degree of family (tribal) loyalty strengthened by ancestor veneration,
- reliance on irrational (mystical) explanations for events
- a fatalistic worldview that discourages initiative and is essentially anti-progress
The purpose of this paper is to explore these characterizations within the context of the native religion of the Basoga people of southeastern Uganda. The paper is based on observations and interviews conducted on a study trip to Uganda in the summers of 2000 and 2003. Full paper - 14 pages
Where Wall Street Meets Via Dolorosa
The script for a presentation made for a lecture series sponsored by The Institute for Faith and the Academy (IFA) at Faulkner University in February, 2006
This presentation was intended to provide overviews of three fundamental issues.
- It was intended to offer a broad Christian perspective on Business Education, followed by some examples out of the author’s primary academic discipline, namely Finance.
- It intended to consider how commercial activity fits into God’s plan for his Creation.
- Since most business activity is conducted in the context of competitive free markets, the presentation provides a Christian perspective on free market capitalism.
Full paper - 12 pages